Cardiff boss Malky Mackay leapt to the head of the Premier League 'sack race' on Wednesday after the club suspended one of his most trusted aides - but reports suggest he's not about to resign.

Head of recruitment Iain Moody, who worked for the Scot during his time at Watford before making the switch to Cardiff with him in 2011, has been replaced by 23-year-old Kazakhstani Alisher Apsalyamov although the Welsh club declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Press Association Sport.

The reasoning behind Moody's suspension is unknown but it is understood Apsalyamov, who is thought to be a friend of owner Vincent Tan's son and appears to have no previous experience in football, has taken over from him in an acting capacity.

Apsalyamov joined the club in February but his name does not appear on a list of key staff members on the club's official website.

Mackay has regularly praised Moody's scouting and recruitment work at the south Wales club, where he has helped to secure the likes of Steven Caulker, Gary Medel, Kevin Theophile-Catherine and Fraizer Campbell.

But while Mackay is understood to be disappointed by events, reports suggest he will be in charge when Cardiff face Chelsea a week on Saturday.

All this comes just a matter of days after it was revealed Tan and the Bluebirds squad had been at loggerheads over end-of-season bonus payments.

Mackay confirmed following Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Newcastle that a resolution has been reached over the issue, but Cardiff's players are reportedly no longer happy for Tan to be in the dressing room on matchdays.

Sky Bet's public relations director Dale Tempest said: "While Cardiff haven't had the greatest start this season, of more concern to Mackay has to be that the owner appears to be making decisions without the manager's agreement.

"When that happens, it's no surprise to see money across the board in the sack race."

Previous favourite, Fulham's Martin Jol, drifted out to 11/2 as a result of the money for Mackay.

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